A number of automated plasma systems have been developed which use CNC technology to control the movement and process of a plasma cutting operation, including controlling the movement of the cutting torch etc. Known systems typically use encoders to provide movement feedback information to the system controller for movement and positional data. For example, in some applications the motors of movement mechanisms used in the systems provide feedback data to the system controller so that the system controller can track and control the movement of the various components during operation. The controller(s) also use this feedback data to determine the location of the cutting torch or other components during operation. However, sometimes this feedback information does not accurately represent the movement/position of the components (such as the torch) which can lead to the creation of inaccurate cuts and shapes.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional, traditional, and proposed approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such approaches with embodiments of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.